The present invention relates generally to drums, and more particularly to a foot operated pedal device of the type used to play floor standing bass drums.
In most contemporary musical styles ranging from classical through to jazz, pop and rock, bass drums are typically played using a foot operated pedal arrangement. A typical arrangement of this type includes a base or frame designed to rest on the flood and adapted for connection to the drum, so as to maintain the pedal and the drum in predetermined spatial relationship. The base is adapted to support a beater shaft for rotation about an horizontal axis. The beater shaft supports an elongate beater stem and a beater head is attached to the remote end of the stem. Some form of drive mechanism extends between the foot pedal and the beater shaft, such that depression of the foot pedal by the player effects rotation of the beater shaft. This in turn drives the beater head forward in an arc defined by the beater stem, so as to hit the diaphragm or skin of the drum. This arrangement leaves the drummer""s hands free to play other drums and symbols in the set or xe2x80x9ckitxe2x80x9d.
Early arrangements of this type only made use of a single pedal activating a single beater. This limited the speed and complexity of rhythms that could be played on the drum, while leaving the player""s other foot underutilised. As a result of these limitations, so-called xe2x80x9ctwin pedalxe2x80x9d arrangements were developed, whereby both of the player""s feet could be used to operate two pedals, and hence two beaters, independently.
While these twin pedal arrangements allowed more complex bass drum rhythms to be played more easily, they have hitherto been subject to a number of inherent limitations. The first of these arises because the ideal strike zone or xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d on the drum skin is relatively small and striking the skin outside of this zone produces an inferior quality of sound. Most twin pedal devices require the beaters to be positioned apart from one another, to the extent that with the assembly centrally positioned, the beaters make contact with the drum skin on either side of the optimum strike zone, rather than hitting it directly.
In an attempt to address this problem, some twin pedal assemblies have positioned the beaters as closely together as possible. In many cases, however, this has necessitated spacing the foot pedals similarly closely together, which severely compromises the ergonomics from the player""s perspective.
Other known twin pedal arrangements have attempted to address this difficulty, using relatively complex drive mechanisms, extended linkages and interconnecting universal joints, so as to space the pedals outwardly from the beaters. A limitation with arrangements of this type, however, is that these more complex linkage arrangements introduce flexibility and friction into the drive mechanism, both of which absorb power, reduce efficiency and compromise the sensitivity and xe2x80x9cfeelxe2x80x9d of the system as experienced by the player. A common complaint from players in this context is that such systems feel xe2x80x9cremotexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdisconnectedxe2x80x9d. This problem is further exacerbated as the joints, links and other connections are progressively subject to wear, and thereby introduce free play or xe2x80x9cslackxe2x80x9d into the system. Systems of this type are also susceptible to rapid wear and failure due to the relatively high stresses imposed on the key linkages and supporting frame elements.
A further limitation with arrangements of this type is that it is ideally desirable to position a snare drum stand centrally in front of the bass drum, and hence between the bass drum pedals. Most known arrangements have either not been able to accommodate a central snare drum stand in this way, or have accommodated a snare stand by positioning the beaters sufficiently far apart to compromise sound quality. Others have relied on complex linkage arrangements with reduced sensitivity and feel as noted above, or have relied upon some combination of these compromises.
In an attempt to address some of these issues, it has also been known to provide a twin pedal arrangement with more complex geometry in which the axes of the beater shafts lie in an horizontal plane, but are not colinear. Rather, the axes are oriented obliquely, such that the beaters converge as they move toward the drum skin and diverge as they move away. While this arrangement addressed some of the more significant limitations of previously known systems to a degree, a major problem is that because of the oblique orientation of the beater shafts, the beaters themselves strike the drum skin at an oblique angle, rather than substantially perpendicularly or xe2x80x9csquare onxe2x80x9d. It has been found that this compromises playing power, as well as the tonal qualities of the resultant sound.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate one or more of these disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative.
Accordingly, the invention provides a twin pedal assembly for a bass drum, said pedal assembly including a base adapted for connection to the drum, a pair of independent beater shafts supported by the base and connected respectively to a corresponding pair of beaters, each beater comprising a elongate stem extending outwardly from the associated shaft and a head supported on the remote end of the stem, the assembly further including a pair of independently operable foot pedals pivotably mounted to the base, and drive means connecting the foot pedals to the respective beaters such that depression of each pedal in use drives the associated beater into contact with a strike zone on a skin on the drum, the beater shafts being supported for rotation about vertically inclined axes whereby the loci of movement of the beaters converge toward the strike zone, and intersect respectively with the skin in a generally perpendicular orientation.
Preferably, the frame incorporates a pair of generally upright posts, adapted respectively to support the beater shafts at symmetrical angles declining toward each other via journal bearings. Preferably, the angle of inclination of each beater shaft is between 5 and 45 degrees, and ideally around 20 degrees to the horizontal.
Preferably also, the support posts are disposed and the beater shafts are inclined in predetermined relationship with one another, such that the points of contact between the beaters at the drum skin are less than 12 centimeters apart, and ideally no more than 6 centimeters apart, thereby ensuring that both beaters are able to hit a relatively narrow strike zone simultaneously.
Preferably, the drive mechanism includes a drive plate associated with each foot plate, a drive cam connected to each beater shaft, and a flexible drive linkage extending between each drive plate and the corresponding drive cam. Most preferably, the drive linkage takes the form of a chain but may alternatively comprise a flexible cord, strap, cable, line or other suitable form of pliable linkage. As a further alternative, one or more rigid linkages with suitable flexible connections or universal joints may be used.
Preferably, the assembly includes a spring idler connected with each beater shaft, and a spring extending effectively between the base and the idler, so as to bias the beaters resiliently toward a rest position in which the stems are disposed in a generally horizontal orientation and the heads are positioned away from the drum.
Preferably, the drive cams are configured such that for a constant rate of travel of the foot pedals, maximum torque and hence acceleration are transferred to the beaters during the initial phase of movement away from the rest position, and maximum rotational speed and hence momentum are imparted during the final phase of movement of the beaters toward the strike zone.
Preferably, each beater is mounted to the corresponding beater shaft by means of an offset bracket, such that each stem and the associated drive cam are radially displaced from the rotational axis of the beater shaft. Most preferably, the offset bracket is disposed such that with the beater stem in the generally vertical orientation and the beater head contacting the strike zone, the stem and the drive cam are displaced forwardly of the beater shaft, closely adjacent the drum skin.
Preferably, each beater and the associated drive cam are mounted on the outer end of, and on the same side of, the respective beater shaft so as to maintain substantially direct and approximately coplanar of transmission of drive between each foot pedal drive plate and the associated beater.
Preferably, adjustment mechanisms are provided between each foot pedal and the associated drive plate, between each drive plate and the associated drive cam, between each drive cam and the associated beater shaft, between each spring and the associated idler plate, between each idler plate and the associated beater shaft, between each offset bracket and the associated beater shaft, and between each stem and the associated offset bracket. Advantageously, these mechanisms facilitate adjustment of the various operational characteristics of the pedal assembly to suit the anatomical ergonomics, playing techniques, desired sound qualities, surrounding acoustics, musical styles and personal preferences of the player.
Preferably, the base is formed in two halves to facilitate compact storage and transportation. Alternatively, however, the base may be formed as a single structure, or from more than two components in an assembly.